Q&A: Nancy Sottos reflects on years leading Illinois materials department, shares what's next

Professor Nancy Sottos served as head of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at The Grainger College of Engineering for over six years. Under her leadership, materials science at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign continued to thrive as a powerhouse of research innovation, boasting countless breakthroughs in areas including AI-driven materials discovery, electronic materials for next-generation semiconductors and sustainable polymers, to name only a few.

Illinois materials academic programs continued to stand among the best in the world under Sottos’ leadership: a new, first in the nation, Materials Science and Engineering + Data Science (MatSE + DS) undergraduate degree was launched, and a new maker space for materials science student collaboration — the Eltoukhy Family Innovation Lab — was opened.

On Aug. 16, 2026, Sottos handed the reins of the department off to Grainger Distinguished Chair in Engineering Paul Braun, who has been director of the Materials Research Laboratory for nearly a decade. 

Sottos sat down to reflect on her tenure — the goals she set out with, the moments she's proudest of and what she sees ahead for the department as it transitions.

When you took on this role, what did you hope to accomplish when you started, and how does that compare to where the department landed over that time?

When I started in January 2020, I don't think I had any insights into the changes that were going to occur both globally and in the research landscape in the six-plus years that I've been department head. I became department head after Pascal Bellon was interim head, and before him, David Cahill had the role, and the department was in very good shape. Materials science and engineering is a phenomenal department to lead —it  has outstanding faculty,  students and staff leading innovation in materials education and a world class research program. I think the first thing a department head says is, ‘Don't do anything to mess this up. Make sure we're on the correct path.’

Materials science and engineering is a phenomenal department to lead —it  has outstanding faculty,  students and staff leading innovation in materials education and a world class research program. I think the first thing a department head says is, ‘Don't do anything to mess this up. Make sure we're on the correct path.’

I had identified a few things that I thought needed attention. I thought undergraduate enrollment needed attention — I just didn't know how much, because the COVID-19 pandemic impacted that even more. So that was going to be a focus. The graduate curriculum was something on my mind too, such as adding more 500-level advanced graduate courses. We had also just completed integrating computational science across our undergraduate curriculum, and we felt it was good timing to add more courses in data science, machine learning, AI and materials discovery into the graduate curriculum 

And of course, I wanted to increase our research portfolio. I was also interested in working more with industry. 

Did you find it challenging to step into the department head role right around the start of the COVID-19 pandemic?

Everything changed in the way you govern a department, all the decisions that had to be made. That brought up an entirely new set of goals — putting out fires all the time. But I was fortunate —when you go on Zoom and try to do everything virtually, to already know everyone, know the university and know the department is beneficial. 

I was very fortunate to be able to work closely with Paul Braun, who was Materials Research Laboratory director. We coordinated back and forth about what to do and how to get people up and running again. It was also fantastic to work with Dallas Trinkle, our associate head for undergraduate programs — Dallas was instrumental in the online teaching transition, helping faculty and generally answering a lot of questions in that space. So I had an amazing inner team to rely on.

What decision or initiative from your tenure are you most proud of?

I'm proud of the Eltoukhy Family Innovation Lab.  A small group of faculty— Matt Goodman, Dallas Trinkle and John Abelson — had identified a need to improve our senior capstone design experience and we often discussed the need for MatSE students to have a dedicated lab to prototype and characterize materials as part of the design experience. Then I had a really nice conversation with Atef Eltoukhy that solidified support for this vision of a maker space for materials science students. And so it became the Eltoukhy lab.

You know how, when you start one thing and have an idea, you realize you have more to improve? I felt that way about a lot of our student spaces. We started with the materials science and engineering building, and I think we've made this building more functional, a place where people want to be, because there's a bit of a choice now whether you work at home or here. I think this building is fostering lots of discussion and collaboration. It's an old building, but it's a nice place to be. The department also has significant space in the Ceramics Building — that's a tall order, but I think we've got a good model for the next department head to follow for doing small changes, and the college — through advancement and donors — helps us with the bigger renovations.

You know how, when you start one thing and have an idea, you realize you have more to improve? I felt that way about a lot of our student spaces. We started with the materials science and engineering building, and I think we've made this building more functional, a place where people want to be, because there's a bit of a choice now, whether you work at home or here. I think this building is fostering lots of discussion and collaboration.

The ideas we had of putting in plants, changing what's on the walls, doing it on a small budget, made a big difference. It makes a big impact in the workplace for students, for faculty and for everyone. I'm proud of that.

Was there anything from your time as head that surprised you — something that caught you off guard?

 I've been at the university a long time — this is year 37 for me — so not too much surprises me. But, I would say I was not anticipating the significant changes in educational policy in the U.S. The way the general public thinks about universities is changing and the funding landscape is changing.  We have not done the greatest job communicating to to the public the value of a university education, and why what we do here at Illinois, and at universities in general, is so important. 

Materials science and engineering here has grown and evolved a lot in recent years. Were there any shifts in the field you had to help the department navigate?

The biggest shift is the role of data and artificial intelligence. There is AI for materials, where we use AI to help discover and characterize materials, and then there is materials for AI, because the chips that make AI possible are some outstanding materials science. The demand for materials engineers, and for electronic materials, has really increased, too, and both of those things have impacted the department significantly.

We're using AI to advance materials research; we are doing high-throughput experiments, analyzing huge datasets from our microscopy and using AI and machine learning models to better understand it. But at the same time, we're also pushing the envelope on new materials that enable more functions in our electronic packaging and electronic chips.

How do you think about AI's broader impact, given how rapidly it's changing the world?

Shortly after I started my career, everyone was starting to use the World Wide Web. Google was a brand-new search engine, and everyone was worried that online resources were going to replace classroom teaching, that everyone was just going to Google everything, which, of course, we do. There was a lot of excitement and fear all at the same time. But in the end, the internet is just a very useful tool — it can be misused, like any good tool. AI, of course, is more expansive, more powerful, more capable — that's what makes it feel more significant.

Right now, that's the way I choose to think about it: AI is a tool we should use to improve education, improve efficiency and help us do new things. It really does help you analyze large amounts of data or make sense of huge volumes of things very quickly. It helps you write code faster. There are so many good things about it. And of course, that doesn't mean it's time to turn your brain off — it's a tool to help you, not to replace thinking. Obviously, some people are going to use that tool for things that aren't so great either. But mostly, I'm excited. 

You've also been involved in a couple of startup companies through your research. Can you tell me about those and what it was like juggling those duties while serving as department head?

I've been involved in two startup companies from my research.  Both of these companies were formed by a team of faculty, and I'm one of the co-founders of both. The first is based on our self-healing technology — a company called Autonomous Materials Incorporated. That company reached maturity; it got sold into different pieces a while back. 

The second company is called RapiCure Solutions, and it's based on our frontal polymerization technology. That company is now based in Colorado, and it's working on commercializing our frontal polymerization — rapid curing of resins and composites — and it's doing pretty well.

Starting a company takes a lot of time. In both cases, I'm fortunate not to be the person who put in the heavy lift on either company — basically I've just been a scientific advisor. There is time involved, because things crop up that you advise on, but it's always easier to be in an advisory role. Each company has a CEO who deals with all the hard stuff, and a board, and all the difficulties. I get to be more of a cheerleader through advisory and give out my scientific thoughts as necessary. 

What's something about the department's identity that you worked hard to protect or build?

In materials science, we have a great collaborative culture and a great community that we've established, and I think myself and all of the faculty are very protective of that community. Most of us have known each other a long time, and we try to promote social interaction as well as technical interaction — really a collegial environment. I think the main goal is having people working together, enjoying coming to work, being happy and proud of the department and feeling like they're a part of it. There is a certain magic to the collaboration in the materials science community at large on campus.

What went into the decision to step down in August 2026?

I had set a goal — last fall we had an academic program review and an Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) review all in one semester. The Eltoukhy lab renovations finished up in the spring. I stayed on for a second term to see the reviews through, finish the Eltoukhy project and wrap up a few things. So it seemed like perfect timing. I also started in January, and I thought it would be better to start and finish in line with the school year, rather than in the middle of the year.

Is there anything you see as unfinished business? 

The Materials Science and Engineering Building was built around 1915, the Ceramics Building around 1915 as well, and the Materials Research Laboratory is also getting older. The leadership and faculty have been very creative in using every inch of this space to be productive, but at some point you realize ventilation is critical — we need to upgrade, especially given all the advances being made in AI. I think labs are going to change, and our infrastructure is going to have to evolve as well. We have great lab space, a great footprint, but it needs to be maintained and we need modern spaces to do materials science effectively. That's going to be a big challenge ahead for Paul.

What advice are you sharing with Paul as he takes over? 

The usual advice — be a good listener and hopefully set a few achievable goals for the department. I think we've laid out a good strategic plan over the last two years, so there's a good road map. And of course, he's going to have to be adaptable to all the changes that are coming as well. 

Paul and I have a strong relationship. We have been research collaborators, we co-founded a company together and he took my composites class when he was in graduate school here. I know materials science and engineering will continue to be in good hands with his leadership.

Paul and I have a strong relationship. We have been research collaborators, we co-founded a company together and he took my composites class when he was in graduate school here. I know materials science and engineering will continue to be in good hands with his leadership.

How do you feel personally about this transition?

Transitions are always a challenge. I'm transitioning back to focus more on my research, which is really appealing — I'm very excited about that. But I'm going to miss many things about the day-to-day as department head. I have really enjoyed working with the materials science staff. It's been really satisfying working with the faculty, getting to know the students — you feel like you have an impact.

Are there any research directions you're excited to focus on as you move back toward that focus?

I've kept an active research program as department head, and I am excited to have free time on my calendar again. We're working on several things that are very exciting. I run a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) related to regenerative manufacturing of thermoset polymers, which is an exciting area of coming up with new ways to manufacture thermoset polymers more efficiently and faster, and also build in end-of-life-cycle considerations — being able to deconstruct and recycle thermoset polymers.

We're also excited about making polymeric materials more resilient in space — in the fall, we should hopefully have our Mission Illinois launch, and my group has been an important part of developing the material system in the composite that will be manufactured from the airlock of the space station. So stay tuned.

Illinois Grainger Engineering Affiliations

John Abelson is an Illinois Grainger Engineering professor emeritus of materials science and engineering in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

Matthew Goodman is an Illinois Grainger Engineering senior lecturer of materials science and engineering in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. He leads the department's senior design capstone program.

Nancy Sottos is an Illinois Grainger Engineering professor of materials science and engineering. She serves as a Center for Advanced Study professor and holds a Swanlund Endowed Chair appointment. 

Dallas Trinkle is an Illinois Grainger Engineering professor in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering. He is also affiliated with the Materials Research Laboratory. Trinkle holds the Ivan Racheff Professorship appointment.